Cuyahoga County: New county auditor Reines sworn in

Reines said he will work to regain the public trust and said he will confer with Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Bill Mason regarding any firings in the auditor's office.

"My focus will be on positioning this department to make the transition as smooth as possible. There is a lot of work to be done. There are a lot of good people down there. I will ask them to help me and, if they show up for a full day's work, we'll be fine," Reines said.

All three commissioners -- Hagan, Peter Lawson Jones and Jimmy Dimora -- were present and voted unanimously on Reines' appointment.

The Cuyahoga County Democratic Party has the power to appoint the replacement auditor within 45 days but Hagan and Jones said he hopes the party will concur by choosing Reines.

Dimora did not comment and left the meeting through the back doorafter the vote.. Dimora is also a target of the corruption probe but has not been charged and maintains his innocence.

Both Hagan and Jones took the opporunity to defend the vast majority of county workers who are not part of the corruption probe.

Jones admitted the corruption probe has somewhat hindered the county's ability to make progress.